Press Release

‘Octopus STEM x SPORTS Scheme 2024-2025’ Kick Off Ceremony
Current Hong Kong Representative Team Members in Attendance to Support
Promoting Use of Technology in Sports to Shape Future Technology Leaders

(28 September 2024, Hong Kong) The kick-off ceremony of the ‘Octopus STEM x SPORTS Scheme’ (‘The Scheme’) for the 2024-25 school year, was held today. The Scheme is jointly organised by St. James’ Settlement (‘SJS’) and Octopus Cards Limited (‘Octopus’), and sponsored by the Social Welfare Department’s Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged. Representatives of the organisers, together with over 200 students and teachers from 10 participating schools, as well as Octopus corporate volunteers, attended the event to kick off the new year of the Scheme.

The ceremony featured special guests including Mr. Yuen Sai Kit, the current member of the Hong Kong Representative Futsal Team and former captain of the City University of Hong Kong’s Soccer Team, and Mr. Tsoi Lung Tak, the current captain of the Hong Kong 3x3 Basketball Team and the Wellman Fukien Team in the A1 Division, to inspire and encourage participating students by sharing their remarkable experiences from their sports careers. A variety of interactive sports-themed experiential booths were set up at the ceremony, allowing students and guests to explore the application of sports science and STEM¹. The booths featured football training gear for shooting accuracy, basketball scoring devices, AI-based karate posture testing, virtual reality rowing experiences, and fencing training apparatus.

Since 2022, the Scheme has been offering underprivileged students extra-curricular activities that integrate STEM with sports, featuring different sports theme every year. The Scheme aims at providing students the opportunity to innovate, apply theoretical knowledge through sports, connect technology with everyday life, and stimulate creativity and problem-solving skills. The ‘Octopus STEM x SPORTS Scheme 2024-2025’ presents six sports themes, namely football, karate, fencing, basketball, snooker, and indoor rowing. About 280 participating students from Primary 4 to Secondary 3 will engage in 13 sessions of classes and workshops, where they will personally experience the joy of sports while learning how technology aids in athletic training and performance enhancement. Additionally, students will learn STEM and related applications, including newly introduced topics such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), alongside sports science, programming, and sensors.

Mr. Tim Ying, Chief Executive Officer of Octopus said, “The ‘Octopus STEM x SPORTS Scheme’ breaks the boundaries between traditional sports and STEM curricula, encouraging the new cohort of students to fully engage and embody the resilient spirit of athletes who persevere and strive forward. We aim to cultivate students’ interest and passion for scientific exploration, inspire innovative thinking, and open doors to the technology leaders of tomorrow. Young innovation and technology (I&T) talent is the key to driving the world’s development, and we will continue to make a positive contribution to nurturing I&T talent in Hong Kong and promote I&T development in society through this programme.”

Ms. Josephine Lee, Chief Executive Officer of SJS said, "We are grateful for Octopus' continued support for underprivileged students. The critical thinking and problem-solving skills that STEM promotes are essential components of learning. Combining these with sports can further develop all-rounded future talent. We believe that through the Scheme, students will not only gain knowledge, but also improve their team spirit. Hands-on practice will make learning more engaging and spark students' interest in both STEM and sports".

Current athletes share how to leverage technology to enhance sports performance and pursue their dreams
Mr. Yuen Sai Kit, the current member of the Hong Kong Representative Futsal Team and former captain of the City University of Hong Kong’s Soccer Team, shared at the ceremony that he would wear a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracker vest in both practice and competition. By leveraging data of various metrics, such as running distance, speed and heart rate, he was able to identify his strengths and areas for improvement, leading to an enhancement of his performance. He encouraged students to participate in the Scheme to engage in more sports, as it not only helps them meet like-minded friends but also creates wonderful memories and strive for goals together through competitive events.

Mr. Tsoi Lung Tak, the current captain of the Hong Kong 3x3 Basketball Team and the Wellman Fukien Team in the A1 Division, shared his experience of participating in the Olympic Qualifiers Paris for 3x3 Basketball hosted by Hong Kong this year. He expressed his honour at competing against top teams from around the world and noted that the gap between the Hong Kong team and world-class teams was not as significant as expected. He mentioned that with the right resources, representatives from Hong Kong will one day be seen at the Olympics. Additionally, he encouraged students to bravely pursue their dreams, emphasizing that by gradually accumulating experience and practicing, they will eventually achieve their goals.

¹ Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

 

Photo Caption

Photo 1: Organised by St. James’ Settlement and Octopus Cards Limited and supported by the Social Welfare Department’s Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged, the ‘Octopus STEM x SPORTS Scheme 2024-2025’ was officially launched today. The ceremony was attended by Mr. Yuen Sai Kit, the current member of the Hong Kong Representative Futsal Team and former captain of the City University of Hong Kong’s Soccer Team, and Mr. Tsoi Lung Tak, the current captain of the Hong Kong 3x3 Basketball Team and the Wellman Fukien Team in the A1 Division. Representatives from the organisers, volunteers, and more than 200 students and teachers from 10 participating schools also joined the kick-off ceremony and sports experience activities.

Photo 2: The ‘Octopus STEM x SPORTS Scheme 2024-2025’ will feature themes of football, karate, fencing, basketball, snooker, and indoor rowing for the 2024-2025 school year. The Scheme will offer sports activities, workshops, and experiential day that integrate STEM and sports science. The launch ceremony was officiated by Mr. Tim Ying (third left), Chief Executive Officer of Octopus, Ms. Josephine Lee (third right), Chief Executive Officer of SJS, special guest Mr. Yuen Sai Kit (second right), Mr. Tsoi Lung Tak (second left) and student representatives.

Photo 3: Mr. Yuen Sai Kit (second left), the current member of the Hong Kong Representative Futsal Team and the former captain of the City University of Hong Kong’s Soccer Team and Mr. Tsoi Lung Tak (first left), the current captain of the Hong Kong 3x3 Basketball Team and the Wellman Fukien Team in the A1 Division, shared their unforgettable experiences as athletes and how technology has assisted their sports careers during the kick-off ceremony.

Photo 4: With the assistance of Octopus corporate volunteers, participating students and guests experienced football, karate, fencing, basketball, and indoor rowing. They gained insights into the related sports science and technology knowledge, thus mixing learning and fun.

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